TPLF destroys a school built by world’s renowned athlete Haile Gebreselassie for impoverished children: PMO
Addis Ababa, September 9, 2021 (FBC) – In a biweely press briefing, Press Secretariat of the Office of the Prime Minster, Billene Seyoum told the Media that TPLF has been pillaging and destroying places of worship, government offices, health centres.
The recent destruction is in Sekota where renowned global athlete Haile Gebreselassie had built a school for up to 500 impoverished children in the community, she said.
In the past weeks, TPLF fighters with UNHCR ID cards on them have been found in Amhara region. It is this same group government of Ethiopia alerted to have fled into Sudan claiming refugee status. And UNHCR itself has admitted a decrease in the number of refugees that it cannot account for.
In Amhara Region, Chena Teklehaimanot Kebele of Debat Woreda, the terrorist TPLF is confirmed to have committed atrocities on an estimated 200 innocent civilians. Government of Ethiopia denounces these targeted killings. Figures may change after the investigation of the established committee.
These retaliatory attacks are committed by TPLF as they have suffered great losses being routed of Afar and Amhara regions. The Chena massacre is an extension of the Maikadra massacre committed by TPLF’s Samri group targeting over 1000 ethnic Amhara civilians.
More than 76,500 people have been displaced from Fantí Rasu Zone of Afar Region. The government and WFP are mobilizing resources for the IDPs. As of August 31, NDRMC and WFP distributed 7,655 qtls of food for 45,000 IDPs. WFP has allocated 3 rounds of food up to October 2021.
In Amhara Region, the IDPs are mainly from Waghamera, North Gonder, South Gonder and North Wollo Zones. IDPs displaced from North Wollo due to TPLF provocations and attacks currently sheltered in Desse Town have reached more than 150,000 of which over 140,000 received 23,852 qtls of food as of August 31.
8,600 qtls of food are dispatched to Wag-hemera zone region for 51,000 beneficiaries. 2,000 qtls of food assistance has been delivered to IDPs in N. Gonder, Debark who have been displaced by TPLF’s belligerence which could serve up to 13,000 beneficiaries.
The government is working with partners to further coordinate the humanitarian response in North Wollo and Wag-Hemra zones and North Gonder Zone. Incident Command Post has been established in Dessie town to oversee the humanitarian response in North and South Wollo to continue in North Gonder Zone Debark town.
Humanitarian partners: WFP and JEOP (CRS lead consortium) are currently operating in Tigray region and dispatching food to woredas and distributing to beneficiaries.
Humanitarian cargo movement continues to be facilitated through Semera to Abala corridor.
Humanitarian flight for personnel, cargo, and cash is still ongoing and movement is being undertaken from Addis to Mekelle through UNHAS flight. As of Aug. 31, NDRMC approved for 31 partners to transport ETB 114.2 Million to Mekelle for humanitarian operation.
As of 4 September, 2021, 535 trucks of humanitarian support have entered the Tigray region. Around 70 aid convoys are still not accounted for after having entered the region. Yet today TPLF posted a statement with images of their fighters on trucks resembling the ones deployed.